Sports & Entertainment Spotlight

Welcome back to the Spotlight! Many people ask me the same question: “how do you write the Spotlight week after week?” After feigning thinking about it for a moment, I reply: “one keystroke at a time.” In all seriousness it is hard to do, particularly nowadays when the world is, well…all seriousness. Often, I feel constrained in what I write (hard to believe, I know), so the finished product is merely a speck of what’s on my mind at any given time. That might be for the best. In any event, against the backdrop of all the depressing, really-not-so-great things we hear about on a daily basis I’d like to take cues from the very industries that are the backbone of the Spotlight (Sports and Entertainment, if you haven’t gotten that yet) and embrace some hope and indulge in a much-needed distraction. So, we can lean into this year’s awards season (just as long as the stars don’t presume to lecture you on a topic they know nothing about), and even what has so far been some rather captivating NFL playoff games. And if, on the heels of signing a future Hall of Fame head coach (John Harbaugh), my unbridled enthusiasm for the New York Giants’ prospects for next season (following a dismal showing this past year) is any indication, you need not even have a dog in the race. After all, everyone loves a good comeback story.

• • Legendary singer-songwriter Sir Elton John launches (like a rocket man) an alcohol-free sparkling wine. Great news for revelers who want to down an entire bottle of wine and proclaim, “I’m still standing!”

• • New York Yankees’ MVP slugger Aaron Judge prevails in a decade long battle to block an individual from registering trademarks for Judge’s nicknames “ALL RISE” and “HERE COMES THE JUDGE.” So, maybe a good omen for a World Series victory also…?

• • Teenage British Darts phenom Luke Littler signs a $27 million sponsorship deal with Target Darts. I’ll repeat: $27 million to sell darts. Those of us working away with our nose to the grindstone must think that is a big load of bulls…eye.

• • Former U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team star Alex Morgan invests in Women’s Indoor Golf League, WTGL, a joint venture between the LPGA and TMRW Sports. OMG that’s a lot of letters, LOL.

For inquiries and/or unabashed compliments, please feel free to contact me at josh.bloomgarden@foster.com or add me on LinkedIn

​Welcome back to the Spotlight! If one of your New Year’s resolutions was to delve into the uber-interesting sports and entertainment business world with a witty bent, congratulations, you are on the right track! If one of your New Year’s resolutions was to be more active, then perhaps you need to find a track. That’s right, folks – the kid’s still got it. Though I was off for a few weeks, it seems writing in this space is akin to getting back on a bicycle. I understand the same can be said of skiing, but I haven’t attempted that since age five when I was pushed down a hill backwards by my skiing instructor (that explains a lot, doesn’t it?). Mercifully, my plans to try skiing again over the holidays got cancelled, so this Spotlight comes in the form of a reprise (or re-prize) rather than a requiem. Anyway, enough yammering on – there is already so much to cover in just the first week of 2026 that I can tell it will be a busy year. So let’s get to it…

• • Mere days after signing a $4M revenue-sharing deal committing to play football at the University of Washington for the 2026 Season, then apparently indicating his intent to transfer from Washington, Quarterback Demond Williams, Jr. is staying at UW. The change of heart might be due to his signing a contract that would have required him to forfeit the $4M – so it’s true what they say: the demond is in the details.

• • Hip Hop Artist Drake finds himself in hot water for allegedly scheming to artificially inflate his songs’  streaming numbers. Would it have killed him to artificially inflate my readership numbers, too?!

• • Social Media Influencers are increasingly finding success in obtaining “extraordinary artist” visas to immigrate to the United States, bringing life to Emma Lazarus’ words inscribed on a plaque at the The Statue of Liberty: “Give me your tired, your poor, your skincare routines…”

• • Warner Bros. is encouraging its shareholders to reject Paramount’s takeover bid and stick with Warner’s Netflix deal. Ironically, the film “He’s Just Not That Into You” is available to stream on Netflix.

For inquiries and/or unabashed compliments, please feel free to contact me at josh.bloomgarden@foster.com or add me on LinkedIn

Welcome back to the Spotlight! I’m not going to sugarcoat it. We live in some dark times. From one week to the next, we’re confronted by a parade of horribles that threaten to take our light. The events of this past week have been no exception—whether it be the antisemitic terror attacks at a Hanukkah celebration in Australia or the tragic murder of the wildly talented director and entertainer Rob Reiner.

But even when the days are darkest, the lights always have a way of driving out the dark. From where I sit, it is fitting that this Sunday is the winter solstice, marking the day of the year with the least daylight, yet it is the last night of Hanukkah, on which each of the candles on the menorah are lit, pushing out the dark. And then every day thereafter, we get more and more daylight. Candles and Sun aside, we can all do our part to bring a little light to our communities—and I am fortunate to work in the sports and entertainment, helping others share their light. 

• • On the heels of the New York Knicks’ NBA Cup Championship, Chipotle rolls out a new high-protein burrito in collaboration with Knicks’ Josh Hart. Hart signaled his approval with a big thumb up.
  • Sony acquires the intellectual property to Charles Schulz’s “Peanuts” characters and comics. With a purchase price of nearly half a billion dollars, Sony hardly paid peanuts—that type of money is enough to turn Snoopy snooty.
  • Netflix leans further into the podcast industry, acquiring distribution rights to three Barstool Sports podcast series in a deal reported valued in the eight figures. No word on whether Paramount will stir the pot.

With that, we wish you a happy holiday season full of light and love. We will circle back with you after the New Year.

For inquiries and/or unabashed compliments, please feel free to contact me at josh.bloomgarden@foster.com or add me on LinkedIn

Welcome back to the Spotlight! If you stopped by last week, you might recall that I discussed Netflix and Warner Bros. coming to an agreement for Netflix to acquire the latter’s content production business in a cash and debt deal valued at about $82 billion (or about the GDP of Panama). I mentioned that deal would unquestionably be part of a year end retrospective. What I didn’t anticipate was that Paramount would put forth an all cash $108 billion (about the GDP of Oman—as in the oil-rich nation or “oh man that’s a lot of money”) hostile takeover offer for all of Warner Bros. Discovery. Either deal would result in massive media consolidation and fundamentally change the entertainment business. So it seems the book is not only yet to be closed on that story, but rather we’ve only just begun.

If I could channel the wisdom of my ancestors, like the great King Solomon, I would settle this by cutting WBD down the middle. Instead we’ll just have to wait and see what shakes out—though in the spirit of the season of giving, I wouldn’t be opposed to offering myself as a third buyer. Sure, I don’t have nearly the funds to compete, but what’s a few billion dollars amongst friends?

• • Jay-Z’s MarcyPen Ventures is partnering with Korean firm Hanwha to create a $500 million fund to further fuel the K-culture boom—be it K-pop or bibimbap (the latter of which sounds like it could serve as a bass line on Jay’s next single.
  • With a $1 billion investment in OpenAI’s Disney is bringing 200 of its characters to the video creation platform Sora. So yeah, nothing is sacred anymore.
  • The New York Jets are in the midst of a trademark fight to get trademark protection for “Gotham City Football.” Fitting for their fans who are one losing season away from Arkham Asylum.

For inquiries and/or unabashed compliments, please feel free to contact me at josh.bloomgarden@foster.com or add me on LinkedIn.

Welcome back to the Spotlight! With our entering the 12th frame of 2025, so begins a cavalcade of holiday parties, overindulgences, Spotify Wrapped statistics, Mariah Carey, timeless film classics, travel and year in review retrospectives. Despite recent momentum and tens of millions of dollars poured into lobbying efforts by NCAA commissioners, it does not look like 2025 will be the year that is remembered for Congress’ passing legislation to comprehensively regulate college sports, as lawmakers failed to advance the SCORE Act because (get this:…) Congress could not reach consensus. Go figure! I mean, Congress usually sings “Kumbaya,” respects one another and agrees on everything, right? So, we will have to wait (at least) until 2026 for an overarching federal framework for name, image and likeness rights, medical and mental health benefits for athletes, regulation of agents and NIL contracts.

But, not to worry, my fellow sports and entertainment business junkies, a late entrant to the year in review will be Netflix’s monumental acquisition of Warner Bros. in a deal valued at $82.7 billion, which is, according to my calculations, a lot of money. The deal will bring valuable intellectual property to Netflix for the development of new projects, while providing a direct pipeline of content to the Netflix platform. What it will ultimately mean for theatrical distribution of films—already challenged by the dominant streaming industry is unclear, but it wouldn’t be a bad idea to start fine tuning your popcorn recipe in case things go sideways.

• • Nationwide Insurance renews its close ties to the NFL with an extension of its sponsorship deal that keeps them as a presenting sponsor of the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. With their also having an endorsement deal with NFL Hall of Famer Peyton Manning, it’s clear they’re willing to pay-tons for the exposure.
  • Veteran actor Tom Selleck decides to switch agencies from CAA to UTA. His mustache is still mulling over its options.
  • The US Supreme Court heard arguments from the record industry and internet service provider Cox Communications in connection with a billion dollar lawsuit alleging that Cox is liable for copyright infringement by failing to boot serial copyright infringers off its services. In other words, Cox is facing the music because it didn’t make others face the music for taking the music.
  • Two members of Australian children’s music group, “The Wiggles” found themselves in hot water for appearing in a music video alluding to drug use for musician Keli Holiday’s new song, “Ecstasy.” The video was eventually withdrawn, which seems appropriate since a symptom of withdrawal is the wiggles.

For inquiries and/or unabashed compliments, please feel free to contact me at josh.bloomgarden@foster.com or add me on LinkedIn.

Welcome back to the Spotlight! With a little under a week until Thanksgiving, it has once again become fair “game” for small talk to be dominated by mostly unsolicited advice as to how one should prepare their turkey. Personally, I like to use a dry brine, rub a compound butter under the skin and load up the bird with aromatics, I digress. The truth is, there are many ways to cook the versatile poultry. The Spotlight is much the same way: stuffed with a tantalizing array of complementary flavors.

For instance, a deep fried turkey, like an Installment of the Spotlight can be a juicy crowd pleaser—each likely to bring (or burn) down the house in their own right. Other times, a roasted turkey can be tough and dry—adjectives that I would prefer to think of as describing the Spotlight’s commentary and sense of humor rather than its readability. The ingredients (sports/shallots, film/fennel, music/mushrooms, television/thyme, etc.) can vary depending on what’s available and interesting in the “kitchen.” Invariably, both turkey and the Spotlight pair nicely with a glass of wine, and yes, they may even make you drowsy. Still, even when the turkey or my writing is uninspired and bland, there’s usually some noteworthy sides to fill you up. So with that, however your turkey comes out, may your mac and cheese be as cheesy, and your cornbread as corny, as yours truly. For now, feel free to dig in on the below and fill your plate with enough to last you to when the Spotlight returns In December.

• • Injured New York Giants rookie sensation running back Cam Skattebo faced criticism after making a fun appearance on “WWE Monday Night Raw” at Madison Square Garden in which he had a scripted scuffle with wrestlers. In fairness to Skattebo, he was shut out of the New York Philharmonic.
  • Recording artist Usher sues a group of investors to recover an unpaid $700,000 on an original $1.7 million that he lent for the purchase and development of Atlanta restaurant and lounge space. Asked about whether he is optimistic about his chances of prevailing, Usher replied “Yeah!”
  • On the heels (and soles) of last week’s announcement that Steph Curry and Under Armour were parting ways, Curry has been “courting” other brands by wearing their sneakers in his past few games. First Nike, then Reebok. Undoubtedly, he has other plans afoot.

Welcome back to the Spotlight! Is it just me or are sports scandals becoming more and more prevalent? Perhaps it’s that there’s so much money changing hands, including in legalized gambling, there is more opportunity and temptation to game the system. Perhaps it’s that digital fingerprints make it easier for bad actors to get caught. Perhaps morals are loosening. Or perhaps people are just flouting Mary J. Blige’s (shoutout to the 914) pleas for “No More Drama.” Whatever the explanation (I’m pretty sure it is the last one), new indictments and punishments came down this week stemming from game manipulation for betting purposes—just weeks after similar allegations taking place in the NBA. The NCAA announced that a handful of former student-athletes were involved in schemes in which they intentionally did not score or “threw” their game.

Not to be outdone, in the MLB, Cleveland Guardians’ pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz allegedly purposely threw balls so that gamblers could bet on pitches being balls or strikes. Clase and Ortiz are both excellent relief pitchers—the former being one of the top closers in all Major League Baseball—but the ultimate relief would be that each of these allegations prove to be false. However, all indications seem to be that the allegations are credible. Unfortunately, these incidents do not happen in a vacuum and inject a level of cynicism and skepticism whenever an umpire or referee makes a questionable call, a player sits out with an injury or makes a bone-headed play. Hopefully, all of these events will in the long run serve as examples of what not to do, but at least in the near term these instances all are unsettling affronts to the integrity of the games to which these scandals relate.

• • Twelve years after Under Armour beat out a notoriously ill-prepared Nike pitch to sign then NBA superstar Steph Curry to an endorsement deal, Curry and Under Armour are parting ways, with Curry taking all of his IP out on the open market. If you listen closely, you can hear an army of brand executives rehearsing the proper pronunciation of Curry’s name.
  • Financial giant Goldman Sachs buys a majority stake of sports talent agency Excel Sports Management. As part of the deal, Excel will get a direct pipeline to capital, while Goldman will get a direct pipeline of talent to appear at its executives’ children’s bar/bat mitzvahs, christenings, sweet 16s and quinceañeras.
  • Actors Michael Caine and Matthew McConaughey link up with AI audio company ElevenLabs, allowing virtual reproduction their famous voices. McConaughey’s voice is not yet available through ElevenLabs’ marketplace out of the company’s fear that users will overwhelm the system with requests for “Alright, alright, alright.”

For inquiries and/or unabashed compliments, please feel free to contact me at josh.bloomgarden@foster.com or add me on LinkedIn.

Welcome back to the Spotlight! This past week, amidst Halloween candy sorting (and sampling…and re-sampling…) a recording artist by the name of Xania Monet generated enough radio play to make a historic appearance on the Billboard R&B charts. Why was it historic? Not because Xania Monet is a relative of French impressionist Claude (though, kudos to you for retaining art history), but rather because Xania Monet is a relative of Claude…and Alexa…and Siri…and Grok. You see, Xania Monet is a creation of Telisha “Nikki” Jones, who uses generative software and her own lyrics to bring Monet to “life.”

On the one hand, this represents a democratization of the music industry. On the other hand, it’s an anxiety-inducing moment for recording artists of the human variety. Put differently, the ease with which new AI-generated music can be pushed out makes it more likely for consumers’ mass consumption of Xania and likelier still for traditional musicians’ mass consumption of Xanax. Whether this is a passing fad or a sign of things to come (probably the latter), one thing is for certain: the Spotlight is proudly AI-free and authentic since its very first founding. And based on what I’ve seen from my late night trials, that’s not in danger of that changing any time soon!

• • Highly decorated Men’s tennis star adds a deal to his endorsement portfolio, leading a $5 million seed round for “corn-free popcorn” brand Cob. What’s this corn-free popcorn, you ask? It is a snack product made with sorghum – which is incidentally exactly what I experience when I get a corn kernel stuck in my teeth.
  • Following on the heels of this week’s Mayoral election in New York City, President Trump published (and was forced to take down) a doctored New York Knicks logo to satirize a different doctored New York Knicks logo that Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani used (for which he received a cease and desist letter) during his campaign. While I am relieved to see the Knicks not wading into the political morass, I am confused about why there seem to be more graphic designers than IP lawyers on both sides of the aisle.
  • Just when you thought the “K-Pop Demon Hunters” craze might be winding down after Halloween, Netflix announced that a sequel will be made, triggering a $15 million cash bonus for Sony film studio. Golden indeed.

For inquiries and/or unabashed compliments, please feel free to contact me at josh.bloomgarden@foster.com or add me on LinkedIn.

Welcome back to the Spotlight, boos and ghouls. On this Hallow’s Eve, the only thing scarier than brain-eating zombies is not having anything for said zombies to dine on. After all, as your mummy would say, “a brain is a terrible thing to waste.” Fortunately, I am leaving out a big bowl of knowledge treats and there is no limit per customer—witch, to be frank(enstein), is great news for those of you looking for your fill of sports and entertainment business updates on the web. Make no bones about it, you can count on it like Dracula. Hopefully, these light-hearted holiday puns won’t spook you off, and before long you’ll be gob(b)lin more down for Thanksgiving. For now, open up your bags and get a handful of what I have to offer below.

• • Gymnast/model Livvy Dunne turns a viral moment in which cameras captured her stress-sweating through her boyfriend Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher (and presumptive National League Cy Young award winner) Paul Skenes’ final outing of the season, from a stain into gold, as she endorses Secret Anti-perspirant. No sweat indeed.
  • Shadow Lion, the entertainment and marketing studio of Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady, gets a strategic investment from Brady’s current employer, Fox Sports—the same company that pays him $37.5 million per year. Talk about being outfoxed.
  • Legendary R&B singer Patti LaBelle enters a partnership with Primary Wave involving such hits from her music catalog as “Lady Marmalade.” Presumably the offer letter included the business version of the words, “vous le vous coucher avec moi?”

For inquiries and/or unabashed compliments, please feel free to contact me at josh.bloomgarden@foster.com or add me on LinkedIn.

Welcome back to the Spotlight! This time of year, the color orange not only evokes pumpkins and falling leaves, but also basketball. Indeed, the NBA season tipped off this past week, replete with intrigue and excitement on and off the court. Notably, the offseason media rights shuffle reunited the NBA with NBC (reviving the sweet sounds of John Tesh’s “Roundball Rock”) and brought old faces to new places with the “Inside the NBA” team of Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith debuting on ESPN after having moved over from TNT (the latter two hosts predicted a certain orange (and blue) team from New York would be playing for an NBA championship this year).

Regrettably, however, orange also evokes jumpsuits as much as it does jump shots, with the Department of Justice announcing the FBI’s arrest of current and former NBA players Chauncey Billups, Damon Jones and Terry Rozier in connection with a federal gambling probe that uncovered several alleged conspiracies involving fixed poker games and sharing of inside information with bettors. To be sure, the timing is awful for the NBA (if there ever was a time for a sports league to have its integrity called into question). But it is also rather inauspicious timing for it to be announced this very same week that collegiate athletes and schools’ athletics staff will now be permitted to gamble on professional sports. Perhaps the conduct of the pros will serve as a cautionary tale for collegiate athletes rather than a foreshadowing of things to come in this sports business environment. At the very least, it should serve as a reminder of the need for athletes’ mentors and advisors to encourage the exercise of better judgment regarding the use of money and the privileged position that allows them to earn it.

• • Having already launched a lifestyle brand, “American Riviera Orchard” (recently rebranded “As Ever”) Meghan Markle looks poised to be next to wade into the crowded waters of celebrity-branded beauty products. A word of advice to Markle’s potential business partner: go heavy on the equity – she tends to distance herself from royalties.
  • Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Bruce Springsteen, when asked about Jeremy Allen White’s portrayal of him in the biopic “Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere,” said that he could not tell the difference between White’s voice and that of his own on certain recordings. AI-driven music companies, when asked about Jeremy Allen White’s portrayal of Springsteen in the biopic “Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere” said “stay in your lane!”
  • Ari Emanuel’s global events and experience company MARI acquired digital ticketing platform TodayTix, in what I can only assume is a gross overpayment for tickets to see “Wicked” on Broadway.

For inquiries and/or unabashed compliments, please feel free to contact me at josh.bloomgarden@foster.com or add me on LinkedIn.